Planning and built development has a huge impact on Avon's wildlife, countryside and green spaces. Inappropriate development can have a significant impact on wildlife, whilst considerate planning can help protect, enhance and create new habitat.

With ever-increasing development pressures across the region, working with planning authorities and influencing local, regional and national planning policy is one of the Trust's most important activities.

We give wildlife a voice by:

• Responding to strategic planning consultations such as Unitary Authority Local Development Frameworks and new transport links to make sure the appropriate policies are in place for protecting wildlife and its associated habitats.
• Commenting on planning applications where wildlife may be affected, in an attempt to secure and create new opportunities for wildlife, resulting in a net gain in biodiversity.
• Providing advice to, and consulting with planners, developers, consultants, members of the public and other key stakeholders.

We have developed a selection of Guidance Notes on how you can help take action for wildlife (see menu).

For more information please contact

Avon Wildlife Trust 32 Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol BS8 1DR
Tel: 0117 917 7270 Email: mail@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Current Policy and Planning issues

Local Policy

We are monitoring the finalisation of Core Strategies across the West of England and have responded to South Gloucestershire Council's Core Strategy which includes plans for Filton Airfield and the area near Cribbs Causeway adjoining Haw Wood, a Local Wildlife Site. We are concerned that the housing numbers have been increased greatly and this may have negative impacts on wildlife in North Bristol.

Bristol Council Area Green Space Plans

The Trust has been involved in discussions with the Council about the possible disposal of wildlife sites within its Area Green Space Plans. The individual sites are being considered by local Neighbourhood Partnerships in February and March and the Trust will ensure that the Partnerships are given a briefing to inform them about the wildlife value of particular sites. We will urge them to reject any sell off of these sites.

Avon-Wide Planning Applications

We always check applications which are sent to us which may have potential wildlife impacts and respond accordingly.

National Grid Hinkley Point C Connection

National Grid has published its preferred route corridor for its Hinkley Point C Connection.  This project comprises replacing the existing pylons, overhead lines and associated infrastructure with 46.5 m high pylons between the proposed Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station in Somerset and Seabank Power Station at Avonmouth, Bristol.

The Trust responded to the initial 2009 consultation expressing concerns about the proximity of some of the optional routes to its reserves and valuable wildlife habitats and also issues relating to possible collision impacts for birds and bats.  The preferred route corridor continues to run adjacent to Trust reserves at Puxton Moor and Priors Wood and directly through Portbury Wharf.  It may also affect other protected sites being surveyed for the North Somerset Wetlands Programme including parts of the Gordano Valley. 

An ongoing debate  has been taking place about the possibility of burying cables underground rather than replacing existing pylons,  and  a national study into the comparative costs of overground and underground power cables, commissioned by the Department for Energy and Climate Change and carried out by engineers Parsons Brinckerhoff, was published in early February.  According to the report, overhead lines are the "cheapest transmission technology for any given route length or circuit capacity"; the report estimates that costs vary between £2.2 million and £4.2 million per km.  For directly buried underground cables, cost estimates vary between £10.2 million and £24.1 million per km.

National Grid are considering underground cables for certain sensitive areas along the route, but the potential damage to habitats is much more serous than replacing existing overhead lines and pylons; for example undergrounding requires `landtake' 65 metres in width along the entire  length of the chosen part of the route, compared with the footprint of a new pylon and associated temporary roads, etc to replace the existing structures.

The Trust has been invited to take part in a thematic advisory group on biodiversity to advise on the best route to reduce wildlife impacts within the preferred corridor.  This does not mean that the Trust necessarily supports the proposal but it offers an opportunity to directly influence the final route so that impacts on Trust reserves and other designated sites and habitats are minimised.

National Grid are running a consultation process on the preferred route corridor until the end of 2012, and a further  consultation on the final route early in 2013.  For further details, see the National Grid's website at: HinkleyConnection